Waipio - In soccer, some times, it only takes an unexpected moment to win. 

For the Kamehameha School Hawaii Warriors, that unexpected moment happened when substitute Kingston Akuna scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Kapa'a in the Motiv8 Foundation/HHSAA Division II Boys State Championship Title game Saturday night.

"The sentiment (of scoring the game winner) is pretty exhilarating," said Akuna. "I'm just so happy that I performed and was able to get that goal for my team. It's not just me. It's all these boys. It's surreal."

Akuna, a senior, not only scored the first goal of the season, but the goal tonight was the first goal of his high school career. 

"This is the first time Kingston (Akuna) went up top for us," said Kamehameha Hawaii head coach Greg Minato. "In fact this is the first time all tournament that we never kept him out. We sent him in there and he did an excellent job. He did great, he did great, he did great." 

Although this is the 3rd title in the last four years for KS-Hawaii, the Warriors from Kapa'a did not make it easy for KS-Hawaii and had the better of the chances early on. 

In the 7th minute, Kapa'a forward Nalu Geer, who leads the team with 13 goals, was put through on goal. But KS-Hawaii four year starting keeper Jacob Aiona sprinted out to the edge of his box and cleared it moments before Geer could reach it. 

Kapa'a had to shout for a penalty kick in the 11th minute when forward Ben Miller fell to the ground while fighting for a ball with defender Everton Kuamoo in the box, but the ref waived play on.

Minutes later, KS-Hawaii would take a major blow when leading goal scorer Micah Chung went off injured and never returned to the field. 

"They were very physical," said Minato of Kapa'a. "We know most of them play football. We tried to counter their physicality with our play."

KS-Hawaii seemed to rally after Chung's injury and started to find their footing.

In the 21st minute, KS-Hawaii had their chance on goal when Kapa'a defender Keoni Dasalia fouled Kanoa Honda 25 yds out from goal. William Henderson blasted the freekick, but it sailed way over the top of goal, giving Kapa'a a sigh of relief.

Henderson, a senior captain, continued to pepper the goal and almost came up with a stroke of brilliance from a corner kick. He hit the left-footed effort from the right-sided corner kick that bent in and was destined for goal. However, sophomore goalkeeper Tyler Thorton punched it away to safety. Thorton made 8 total saves this match.

Thorton was tested again seconds later when KS-Hawaii forward Princeton Kuamoo ran onto a lofted ball. Kuamoo made Thorton flinch and jump in the air while coming out. Kuamoo hit the ball in the middle of the box to Tanotoa Muskat. With Thorton out of position, Muskat hit a strong shot, but was blocked by the Kapa'a defense and cleared away. 

The Kapa'a Warriors countered back a few minutes later. A bad headed clearance by a KS-Hawaii defender let Miller run in on goal and he hit a looping shot toward the top corner, but Aiona soars into the air to grab the dangerous shot. Aiona kept the leveled for his team heading into the break. 

"What can I say? He was determined, he had the hustle, he had the height," Minato said jokingly of Aiona, who stands at a towering six foot five inches in goal. "He kept our backline in check alongside our centerbacks. He was very vocal and a leader back there."

After halftime, both teams came out hot and the physicality of play was starting to take a toll on KS-Hawaii players. Starters Kuamoo and Ryder Okumura both left the field with assistance after challenges from Kapa'a players.

Down a handful of starters, the Warriors from the Big Island again almost broke the deadlock when Gabriel Arquitola hit a witched volley off the bounce that rattled the crossbar and away from goal in the 44th minute. 

Then came Akuna's unexpected game-winning moment in the 59th minute.

"I had that feeling that Will (Henderson) was looking at me," said Akuna, who is normally a backup defender. "I wanted to make sure that if he did hit it to me, that I was there because there's been countless times where I've seen players see the ball, but not run through. I was able to complete my job, like he was able to complete his, to bring home this win."

Akuna has only ever played striker one other time in high school until tonight's title game. He is normally a backup defender and did not play at all this tournament, until tonight due to Chung's injury. 

Although KS-Hawaii got their game winner, Kapa'a did not fade into the evening quietly. 

In the 64th minute, Evan Dialing played Isaiah Noguchi in with a through ball on goal, but Aiona raced out and grabbed the ball a split second before Noguchi could connect with it. Minutes later, Omar Perez hit a rocket shot that would have hit the top shelf of the net, but again, Aiona was there to lift off and bring the ball down. 

Kapa'a nearly found an equalizer (twice) off of two point blank chances from Geer. He found the ball inside the 6 yard box with minutes left in the contest. He hit an effort right at an unaware Aiona, relocated the ball and shot it again on goal. But this time, Aiona was able to react and save the second attempt from Geer. 

"I train all year," said Aiona. "I train all year to make those couple saves in a game. All that training at the end of the day is worth it if you make those three or four saves that boost your team up with a big win like this." 

Those saves were pivotal to preserving the win for KS-Hawaii Aiona praised the fighting spirit of both teams throughout the game.

"We knew that this Kapa'a team are fighters," said Aiona. "They came out and they go to war. I said to everyone before the game that it'll be a war out there and I expected nothing less from them. They came out there and they fought to the very end. After we scored, I was looking at the timer every three or four seconds it felt like because I knew these guys (Kapa'a) were fighting. They didn't stop, not once."

Although they came up just short, Kapa'a head coach Kevin Cram had nothing but positive things to say about the way his team played.

"We have a good group of kids," said Cram. "Last time we got here was 2020 since we've been over here. We have enough younger ones so next year, we expect to be able to do the same thing. They worked hard, they fought hard. Kamehameha (Hawaii) was just a little bit better and got the goal but yeah I'm proud that they were supposed to do."

Last year, KS-Hawaii lost to another Kauai school, Island School, 1-0 in the title game, snapping their two year trophy streak. That loss was a heavy motivating factor for Akuna and the rest of the Warriors from Kea'au. 

"This game was very similar to how last year was against Island School," said Akuna. "Both teams were very physical. I think coming off that loss from last year, that was able to propel and teach us that we needed to step up our game. Even in bad conditions, even if the ball is not in our favor, if we are good enough then we will conquer anything. That was a good ending to the season."

This is the first state championship for coach Minato and he believes that his team has a bright future ahead of them. 

"This team never gave up," said Minato. "We were down, we got hurt, with the amount of injuries we had we did a really good job. They were always like, ‘I'm ready coach, I'm ready coach,' and I just said okay go for it. This team is a special team for me because I had these seniors for four years, juniors for three, sophomores for two, and freshmen now that have won states. The seniors kept the rest of the team in check, focused and did not have to ask much more from them. I have a good core coming back next year so we will be here again."